SIDE NOTE (related to the blog entry title): Did the Wild and Timberwolves switch GMs on Tuesday for a day? The Puppies pull out a gritty home win against a playoff-caliber team, and the Wild, when in need of a playmaking center at the trade deadline, acquire Chris Simon, a low-scoring wing who MAY try stabbing someone with his skate. We should just get Syracuse jerseys that say "OGLETHORPE" on the back.

On the heels of Bob Horry accepting my honorary "good-luck charm MVP" award, methinks it's only fitting to single out the LEAST valuable player, as well...a player who, time and time again, has demonstrated an ability to corrupt playoff-contending teams just with his mere presence. This player, of course, is Ricky Davis. Being a Timberwolves fan, I know this as well as anyone -- I had to watch him for a year and a half. My case:

Ricky AVIS (as he's known in my fantasy league, because there's no "D" in that guy) has a career record of 244-390, at least through some point last week. The Wolves' 46-78 record during Davis' tenure is, shockingly and sadly, only SLIGHTLY lower than his career winning percentage. To compare to Horry, unfair as that may seem, Davis (in eight seasons and change) has 31 MORE losses and...ahem...492 FEWER wins. Now, I know this is comparing the class valedictorian to the backup offensive lineman, but come on.

How else do you explain Miami being the WORST team in the NBA?? Wade, Shaq/Marion, AND getting rid of Antoine Walker (addition by subtraction), and they still can't muster 11 wins??

He's only played on two playoff teams* -- both Celtic squads that were marginal at best, and one of those, he was acquired halfway through the season. *And yes, he was on a Heat team that went 50-32, and made the playoffs, but he only played 70 minutes over the course of seven games. Which is probably why they made the playoffs.

He has been traded at LEAST three times because coaches thought he would corrupt the younger players on the team: the Cavaliers traded him 22 games into LeBron's rookie season, the Celtics traded him to keep the Jefferson-led youngsters from developing bad habits, and then the T-Wolves dealt him to protect that same group.

There is empirical evidence to suggest teams hit the jackpot three to four years after trading him: the Heat won a title in 2006, the Cavs made it to the Finals last year, and the Celtics are the front-runner for the crown THIS year. As a Timberwolves fan, this brings me joy and hope for the 2011 season.

There's the case against Ricky. Kind of too bad, too, because I honestly thought he was a fun player to watch most of the time, and from the sounds of it, the guy could DOMINATE...a, uh, bottle of Patron. Maybe South Beach wasn't the best alternative for him. Shows what you get out of Davenport, Iowa.